Favourite Giddy Up Lucky (Eric Goodell) paid the usher for a better seat at intermission, then strolled away from the rest of the audience, making a Saturday night mockery of Yonkers Raceway's $42,500 Open Handicap Pace
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Away third from post position No. 2, he moved to leading Psilvuheartbreaker (Cat Manzi) after a :27-second opening quarter-mile. Giddy Up Lucky assumed the lead after the :54.3 midway, before going into seclusion.
He opened up 4-1/2 lengths at the 1:22.3 three-quarters, then widened to seven lengths turning for home. The final margin was four lengths over Forensic Z Tam (Steve Smith) in 1:51.4. Lahaye (George Brennan), Handsome Prince (Dan Dube) and Ghee's House (Brenh Holland) completed the cashers.
For Giddy Up Lucky, a five-year-old Camluck gelding trained by Josh Green for co-owners David Rovine and Baron Racing, he returned $4.90 for his fifth win (second consecutive) in 23 seasonal starts. The exacta paid $69, with the triple returning $380.50.
The $1.6 million New York Night of Champions--richest night of racing in New York--goes next Saturday night, featuring eight $200,000 sire stakes finals. Post positions are to be drawn Tuesday afternoon.
(Yonkers Raceway)